Avalanche light emitting diodes (ALEDs) are light emitting diodes typically implemented using P-N or P-I-N junctions in silicon or other semiconductor substrates. A P-N junction represents an area where p-type and n-type doped regions contact one another. A P-I-N junction represents an area where p-type and n-type doped regions are separated by a lightly-doped intrinsic region.
Avalanche light emitting diodes often operate using high reverse bias voltages. A high reverse bias voltage typically creates impact ionization within an avalanche light emitting diode. The impact ionization can lead to avalanche multiplication, allowing the avalanche light emitting diode to produce a relatively high level of illumination compared to conventional light emitting diodes.
A problem with conventional avalanche light emitting diodes is that their quantum efficiency is typically quite low. Obtaining higher quantum efficiencies is typically limited by heat dissipation constraints. In other words, obtaining higher quantum efficiencies is typically not possible since higher quantum efficiencies lead to higher temperatures within the avalanche light emitting diodes and the avalanche light emitting diodes lack an effective mechanism for dispersing that heat.